I want my innocence back
by bs13
Summary: AU. Step into the world of the Anubis Sisterhood, a group of girls that have all been robbed of their innocence. They have one goal in mind: find those who steal innocence and end them forever. But is it worth all they have to give up? Jara, Peddie, Amfie, Fabina.
1. (Mara) I want my innocence back

**Hey guys! I know this sounds weird, but thanks for giving it a chance. I don't own House of Anubis. This is all in Mara's point of view. As the chapters go, it will alternate charaters.**

My name is Mara Jaffray. I am part of the Anubis Sisterhood. And my innocence was stolen from me.

In our Sisterhood, we only have three rules:

One: Be prepared.

Two: Trust no one.

Three: Show no mercy.

And mercy I will not show.

I click my gun into place, ready for anything to come. I am alone today, without KT by my side like she usually is. I hardly come out alone. In fact, I rarely like to leave the control room at all.

But today is different. I found who took my innocence.

* * *

_I am laying on my bed, bruised and hurting. Blood pools around my eyes, penetrating my sight with this sticky liquid._

_I was almost killed._

_My arms are weights with no desire to move. As are my legs. My fingers have long since lost feeling. The gash on my abdomen stopped hurting about an hour ago; now it's just numb. I want to call out. I want to yell for my parents, to have them save me._

_But alas, I'm alone. And in more than one sense._

_My head tries to tilt, to get away from the blood, to see something. How long have I been laying here? I try to lift my legs. I am still unable to move. I am hurt._

_Hurt and alone._

_Revenge makes my heart ache. I want it so badly. I don't know how I'd get it, but I need it. The man left so long ago, presumably thinking me dead. I saw his face. I can recognize every detail. I know who this monster is, and I want him dead. I want him to be the one laying in his own blood. I want him to be the one almost dead._

_I want to steal his innocence, though it's clearly already gone._

_I stare blankly upwards. My ceiling is white, the color of innocence. I want to paint it red. White no longer has a meaning to me. I have lost my mind now, and that is all his fault. My hand twitches as my fingers curl around my phone that remains on my nightstand. At least he didn't steal much but my innocence- if I ever still had it._

_I try to dial 911. I hit the wrong numbers. My eyesight is blurry and I can't see. I am blinded by blood and pain. My fingers uncurl and I wait for the sound my phone will make when it will crash on my wooden bedroom floor._

_It never comes._

_"Don't be alarmed," a sweet, soft voice is heard as a soft hand touches my own useless one. I listen to the words of the unfamiliar voice, not scared at all. What else can happen to me that hasn't already?_

_I try to speak. My voice gets caught in my throat, but I push it out, and it emerges shaky and raspy._

_"Help me." It isn't a call for help. It's a plead. I'm begging for this sweet voice to soothe me, to save me._

_"How do you feel?" the voice whispers on. I try to open my eyes. I can't. The hand moves to my shoulder._

_"I'm dying," I mumble, and I know I am._

_"You were raped, weren't you?" The hand pulls away, leaving my bare shoulder tingling from the slightly cold touch. I don't answer. I don't want to acknowledge the fact._

_"Please," is all I can whisper in return. I want help. This voice- though of a stranger- is oddly comforting._

_"You're hurting," the voice- it belongs to a female- goes on. "Would you like to give your pain away to the man who gave it to you?"_

_"I want him dead," I say, my voice trembling. I don't want him to be able to feel anything anymore, even if it is pain._

_"I know you do," the hand goes back to my own hand. "I'm here to help you do that."_

_I finally pry open my eyes and see two green ones gazing back. It's a girl, young, and possibly my own age, which is sixteen. Her hair falls down in dirty blond waves that border on a light brown. Her smile is gentle, and she doesn't seem fazed by my appearance._

_It's like she knows something about my situation._

* * *

I'm not the newest girl in the Sisterhood. Willow Jenks is the newest member, and she's more of a forget-and-move-on kind of girl instead of who she needs to be anyway. I don't usually believe in violence, of course.

Unless it comes to the man who raped me.

Let me explain more to you about the Anubis Sisterhood. Any girl that has been raped can join. We don't seek out just anyone to kill either. We seek rapists. If one has raped us, we kill him. If one is about to rape a girl, we kill him. If one is in prison for raping a girl, we kill him. You don't even have to stay after we have killed the man who raped you in the first place, but it doesn't matter who stays and who goes. It's always about the killing.

Our leader, the Chosen one, is Nina Martin. She is my age, which is now seventeen. She was raped by a man called Victor when she was fourteen, as was her best friend, Amber Millington. After they killed him, they ran away and formed the Anubis Sisterhood together. Amber is more of a diva than a killer, so Nina took charge as the leader.

Patricia Williamson was one of the first members. Raped by a man called Rufus Zeno, Nina and Amber found her alone at an orphanage, a cutter and ready to take her life. They convinced her not to take her own- instead, to take Rufus's. They still haven't found Rufus yet, but Patricia is more than ready to take him on.

Joy Mercer was kidnapped by a man called Eric Sweet. He had raped her numerous times before the Sisterhood found him. He was eliminated by Patricia when Patricia happened to hear Joy's screams one night when seeking Rufus. Joy and Patricia became fast friends, and Joy readily joined the Sisterhood.

KT Rush was a girl raped by her great-grandfather, a man we call Frobisher. As tales go, hers is one of the worst. He had been raping her from when she was a little girl, and as he was related to her, it took a while for the Sisterhood to find her. But when they did, KT eagerly joined. She ran away, leaving behind a dead grandfather that she had killed.

Willow Jenks had been raped by a unnamed man whom Amber killed. For that, Willow is Amber's biggest fan. Willow joined the Sisterhood because she felt as though she owed her life to Amber, but she doesn't like to kill at all.

There are more girls, of course, but I only know these the best.

"Mara." Nina's voice comes through the headpiece in my ear. Her voice isn't as sweet as the first time we spoke. Instead, it's colder. "We have identified the man."

"Who is it?" I ask, my eyes set as I follow the man's dark figure.

"Rufus Zeno." This isn't Nina's voice; it's Patricia's. "I'm coming with you. Keep your eyes on him while I come."

Our hideout isn't far anyway. I follow Rufus discreetly, ducking behind buildings. He is heading down a dark alley. I won't admit it, but I hate the dark. I still go after him, and before I know it, everything is pitch black.

A gunshot echos through the silence. It isn't mine.

Patricia Williamson has arrived. But she has missed.

Rufus pulls out a gun of his own, his shot arm trembling and blood soaking his sleeve. Fear doesn't reflect in his blue eyes. Instead, he keeps a poker face on, minus a smirk pulling on his lips.

He had known I was there the whole time.

"Go ahead. Shoot," Rufus says. "I can shoot, too."

"There's two of us here, Rufus," Patricia spits. "You shoot one and you still go down." Rufus is taken aback by that- I guess he had only sensed my presence and thought I had fired the gun.

It is still too dark to see.

"Ah, I recognize that voice," Rufus purrs. "Patricia. How have you been, my dear?"

"Shut up," Patricia snaps, her gun still trained on where she thought the man was. I slowly unhitch my own gun, unsure of where to go and what to do.

"Who's with you?" Rufus asks, and I felt myself edge forward at his voice. No doubt he heard me pull the gun.

"An old friend of yours," Patricia replies, but she makes no move herself. Rufus seems to be following her voice as well. I can tell by the way he inches forward.

"I have the worst memory. Why don't you refresh it?" Rufus asks, seeking to hear more of Patricia's voice. Instead, I answer.

"It's not like you'd know." I say, and I fire my gun. "You were in such a hurry to leave."

The bullet is off; it grazes the skin of his back as he ducks. Maybe if he hadn't, he'd be gone, but it was still not that great of a shot. Patricia fires too, but at the same time he does. I hear her cry in pain, and my awareness is peaked.

Because no girl has ever gotten hurt in the Sisterhood.

Rufus starts laughing. The deep, rumbling sound echoing through the alley. He's smug for a guy who got two wounds. I hear the sound of his feet running away and I clench my hands. So close...

"Mara, go after him!" Patricia's voice is pained, and I know she's on the ground, even if I can't see her.

"Not when you're hurt," I answer honestly, and I don't have the heart to leave her behind. I may be a killer, but I'm not coldhearted. "Keep talking and I'll find you, alright?"

"Okay...can you find me yet?" Patricia asks. I follow the sound of her voice, and my foot connects with a leg. Hers. I pull her to her feet and she emits a loud groan.

"Are you fine to walk?" I question.

"No. I feel like hell." Patricia grumbles, but she walks anyway, and she even tries to get out of my arms. She's a fighter. I sling her arm over my shoulder and we begin the walk.

"Mara, what happened? I heard gunshots," Nina's voice comes in.

"Rufus got away," I admit, "and Patricia was wounded."

"Bring her in," Nina's cold voice becomes infused with worry. I can understand that myself; I would be worried to death too, but I am strangely calm.

I do as she says and I drag Patricia along with me. Her blood is soaking through my shirt and I realized she was shot in the shoulder. We move quickly to a large wooden building, where we enter and go down a few flights of stairs.

Patricia is moaning beside me, and that's how I know it's serious. Patricia would never complain. She sees that as weakness.

I hit a button that brings up an elevator and we step inside. I can clearly see Patricia's wound, and it's not pretty. In the stainless steel elevator, it looks out of place, all red and dripping. I start the elevator and I slowly move Patricia's hand off my shoulder.

"Damn it, can this thing move any slower?" Patricia curses.

It is moving at 25 miles an hour, but I don't say that.

The doors open and Patricia collapses onto the stainless steel floor with a sickening thud. Girls flock over her body and take her away to our hospital unit. Before today, it had remained untouched.

"Mara, you're alright?" Nina grips my shoulders.

"Yes," I answer, stepping away. "Any new updates here?"

"None." Nina says bitterly. "We tried having our camera nearby videotape the whole thing, but Rufus had already killed it, the bastard."

"He knows about us?" I was startled by this. I was used to being undercover and working secretly. I didn't think normal people would know.

But then again, Rufus isn't normal.

"He must," Nina says. She doesn't look happy at all.

"What happened? Where's Patricia?" Joy came up to us, panic clear in her eyes. By the blood splattered on her clothes, I can tell she had just killed another threat and barely returned.

"She'll be fine, Joy," I say. "She's tough."

It's no lie, but it still sounds wrong.

"Did you get him?" Joy asks finally, taking my words at last.

"No." Nina answers for me, and I avert my eyes from Joy's. I can't take her deep brown orbs- they're like a pit you can't escape once you've started to look down it.

"It's going to be alright, Mara," Joy says, and a hand goes to my shoulder. I think about Patricia and how all she got was a bullet in her shoulder and I grow angry. I shake her hand off and I step away.

"Mara," Nina's voice is soft now.

"You weren't there when she was shot," is all I say, and I walk away. Willow runs to my side, a clipboard in hand.

"Ready to take on another mission?" Willow asks cheerfully, as though she were offering me the lottery.

"No," I snap, and Willow is taken aback. "I mean, no thanks. I just don't have it in me right now."

"No worries," Willow goes back to being her happy self, and she goes to bombard Joy like she usually does. Joy just can't say no to Willow. It's kind of funny, and I smile without thinking.

"Don't sweat it, Mara. It happens," Amber whispers in my ear as she passes. I stare at her quickly, and she nods before walking over to Nina. In a way, it makes me mad. They should be going over to Patricia, not me.

All I've done is mess up.

"I want you to take this mission," KT comes up next to me. She doesn't try to console me or make me feel better like everyone else. "If I'm going, no offense, but I'm dragging you with me. We're partners, remember?"

"I know," I say, and I mean it. "I'll come with you."

Maybe it's not too early to get back in the game.

"Patricia's pretty upset," KT mentions.

"Is she hurt?" I ask.

"Nope. She's upset she isn't part of this mission," KT grins suddenly. She has a contagious smile. It's always toothy and bright. For someone with such a hard past, KT is always sunny.

"Where to this time?" I ask. Joy and Willow join us, guns in hand and black jumpsuits on. Willow's is still clean, and Joy's still wearing her blood-stained one.

"The local prison," Willow fidgets. She's uncomfortable. Since Patricia's out, Willow has to fill in as Joy's partner. The whole thing is kind of funny.

"A rapist in prison?" KT asks. Willow nods.

"You're sure he did it, too?" Joy clarifies.

We never kill a man without evidence.

"Caught him on camera," Willow nods. I exchange a look with KT and I feel the hatred for this man already churning.

"Let's go," I whisper, my voice deadly.

We take the blood-stained elevator. Joy makes no remark, but Willow shrieks when she sees it. KT rolls her eyes like she always does whenever she's around Willow, and I just smile at the whole ordeal. It feels natural again.

Should that scare me?

We board two motorcycles, and Willow and Joy take the lead, speeding on ahead. We follow them to the prison, which is only about ten minutes ahead.

Unfortunately, Willow is driving. When she swerves to avoid a cat, she nearly takes out a fire hydrant. A police man sees it and pulls them over. Joy motions for us to move on as they get off their motorcycle. We go and try to seem normal.

But Willow and Joy are both clad in black, are driving recklessly, and are armed. This won't end well.

KT goes on and we pull up. In her hand she has the cell number of the convict. I take my gun and promise to be quick while she keeps watch. I can't enter through the front, so KT finds me a vent to go through. It's on the roof, and I slide down the narrow, boxy space to the bottom.

As I exit it, I find myself in the visiting room of the prison. The guards are turned, but only for a second, talking to each other. I quickly close the vent and slide into the nearest visiting seat, right next to a guy who is sitting across from an older man in prison.

No one has noticed.

"Who are you?" The boy asks right off, like I figured he would.

"You mean you don't recognize me?" I play the innocent, and I turn to the man who is in prison. I read his name tag to get his name. "John? You don't recognize me?"

"Dad, who is this?" the boy asks his dad.

"I don't know, son," John says, looking distraught as he tries to recall my face. Good thing I didn't wear my face mask this time. My jumpsuit is still rather strange, as it is leather and goes from my neck to my ankles. My gun is hid in a purse I have slung over my shoulder.

"How do you know my dad?" the boy turns to face me. He doesn't look like John, at least not that much. He looks young, maybe around my age. He has John's icy blue eyes and dirty blond hair color, but his face is much more boyish and handsome.

"Remember?" I try to smile. "That one day, back when you were working at that place..."

"I haven't worked in years," John says slowly. "How old are you?"

"Me? I'm..." I pause. "You know what? I guess I have the wrong John. You're John...Rivers, right?" I was hoping that wasn't his last name...

"No, John Clarke," John says, relaxing slightly. "I didn't realize I looked so much like another, uh..._person_ here."

"I don't even know. My eyesight is horrible and I don't have my glasses," I laugh nervously, and I get up.

It's showtime.

"Oh, that's alright," John's son says. "Sorry about all the questions. I just wanted to know about any girls my dad might know." He turns and stares at his father, his eyes firm.

"Jerome, that was one time, and I didn't even-" John stops, and his eyes fall on me. "Nice to meet you, young lady." It's a universal sign that says leave, but I don't care.

"Likewise," I say, though I'm disgusted by criminals.

I whip out my gun.

Jerome jumps. John's mouth falls open. The guards are alert, and they pull out their own guns, moving towards me right away.

"Miss? Put that down, right now," one guard says, taking a step towards me.

"One step closer and I shoot," I say, and I put my gun to Jerome's head. I don't want to seem like a bad guy, but I have to do this.

"What is it you want at a prison?" another guard snaps, but they don't move.

"Just let me pass," I said quietly. I take the gun away from Jerome's head, ashamed I even used that approach, and I place it back in my bag. The guards rush all at once. There's only three though.

I kick one of them to the ground by kicking his feet out from under him. Before another can throw a punch, I catch his fist and twist it painfully. Then I kick him in the crotch and leave two on the floor. The third fires his gun. I move out of the bullet's way and I shove past him.

Behind me, I hear Jerome mutter, "Some horrible eyesight."

I find the cell after a few minutes and I stand before the bars, studying where I need to aim.

"Hey there beautiful," the man is old and still disgusting. He grins. "Lost?"

"Nope," I say, and I take out my gun and train it on him.

He blanches.

"Guards!" his voice becomes strained. His beg is futile.

My finger pushes the trigger.

The loud gunshot brings other guards running. I race past them, avoiding more bullets. Next time KT is so taking the job. I go back into the visitor's room. The last guard fires, but I kick him to the floor with his friends and I kick open the vent again.

"Who are you?" Jerome's voice is cold. I turn and see him standing there, no trace of fear in his eyes, unlike the other criminals and their family and friends.

"Someone who lost their innocence." Is all I offer in reply, and I crawl up the vent easily. KT is sitting right next to the square panel on the roof, calmly waiting.

"Did you get him?" KT asks nonchalantly. I resist the urge to push her off the roof.

"Yes," I say. "Now let's go back."

We do. I keep thinking about my encounter with John and Jerome. They seemed to think I am some sort of monster.

I'm not sure why, but it hurts to think about that.

**We met Jerome! What do you think? When will they girls meet the others? Please review, follow, whatever! And tell me who you'd like to see have a POV next.**


	2. (Patricia)And if you can't give it to me

**I don't own House of Anubis, but I own some cool stuff...who am I kidding, no I don't. Patricia's POV was one a lot of people wanted, so here it is.**

I was in hell.

"Don't touch me, Willow!" I snap as she tries to rearrange my pillows for the millionth time.

"But you're hurt," Willow complains, clearly troubled. "I want to help!"

"You can help by getting your hands out of my hair," I swat at her hands, ignoring the shooting pain that rides my arm.

"Hey Patricia!" Joy pushes open the door, a smile on her face. "Willow, leave her be."

"I know." Willow sighs like she's actually losing something. "I'll go see Amber." She leaves, and I'm left alone with Joy and an empty white room.

"Willow and I barely escaped our last mission," Joy says casually as she sits herself down right next to me. "The police officers had us there for like twenty minutes seeing our firearm licenses and regular ones, too. He didn't seem to trust two girls in all black riding a motorcycle. Talk about stereotypes!"

"I've faced many of those myself," I agreed. "Who says jumping off a skyscraper is illegal? I never see any signs."

"Right?" Joy agreed just as Mara and KT entered the room, Mara flushed and KT apologetic.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Mara's blaming me even though she decided to become a terrorist on her own," KT explains like that makes any heck of sense.

"KT keeps calling me a terrorist for putting a gun to some guy's head," Mara complains. "I didn't think at the time, okay?"

"When do you ever?" KT grumbles, and I have to grin at that one.

"So, Patricia, when are you out?" Joy changes the subject, clearly wanting to avoid a fight. Too bad, it would've been good.

"I don't know," I groan. "Hopefully soon. I don't want to end up in this bed much longer. I still have to keep this cast on though." I gesture to a sling around my shoulder. The heavy cloth-and-plaster sling keeps my injured shoulder straight and stiff so it can heal. It's a pain to keep, and it hurts to move.

"And not be able to go on other missions," Joy goes on.

Gee, what great friends I have.

"Patricia?" Mara edges herself forward and shyly seats herself on my bed. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry...I didn't mean for this to happen."

"What the hell are you sorry for?" I can't help it; I grin. "I'm the one who insisted on coming. You're the one who stayed behind to help me to make sure I didn't die. If you're saying sorry for saving my life, I don't think we should stay friends."

Mara smiles, and everyone else chuckles at my last line. It's always fun to joke around in this place. It lightens a bad mood for sure.

"Hey, guys, we should head out or something," KT says suddenly. "We can get a car, ride out to some stores, get some food...if things aren't pressing right now."

"Yeah, that would be great," Joy agrees. "Patricia, you can come, can't you? I mean, with your cast, you'll be okay right?"

"Heck yeah," I cry. Just the thought of being let out of here made me want to cry for joy.

"But she was injured yesterday," Mara interjects, clearly worried. "Shouldn't she stay here?"

Sometimes I hate Mara being the voice of reason that she is.

"We'll sneak her out," KT pipes in.

And sometimes I love how reckless KT can be.

"Should we invite the others?" Mara wonders aloud.

"Sure," Joy agrees at that. "We all deserve a night out, don't you agree?" She directs the question to me, and I can't nod my head faster. I could kill for a night out some days.

Literally.

An hour later, we're in Amber's car, and she and Willow are belting out Justin Bieber. Even the medical unit is better than _that_, but I guess it's a price I have to pay. Nina is sulking about leaving the place in charge of newbies, Mara is biting her nails and sweating about all the firearms in Amber's car, KT is thumping her fingers along the window to the beat, and Joy is staring out the window and whispering the lyrics herself.

Everything is perfect.

Our first stop is at a small diner, a place called Trudy's.

"Hi, I'm Fabian, and I'll be your waiter today," a brunette boy greets us when we enter. "May I show you to a..." He pauses and stares for a while, and then he quickly recuperates, "..uh, a table?"

I follow his gaze and see he's staring at Nina. I can't help but smirk at that. She's oblivious and looking around, scanning the perimeter like she always does. It's kind of funny.

"A table would be great, thanks," Joy smiles broadly and I realize she thinks this guy is cute. It's not the first time, either. She falls for just about every guy she meets; she's not one to settle down. Or to have reason.

"Y-Yeah. Follow me." Fabian stutters, and he leads us away.

I sit down next to Joy and Mara, and we all order drinks. Fabian jots down our orders and leaves, leaving us to tease Nina to our heart's content.

"That guy was checking you out, Nina," KT says, and she along with everyone else stare at Nina, awaiting a reaction.

"He was not," Nina counters, though her cheeks tint pink.

"Fabian and Nina, sitting in a tree..." Joy sings childishly.

"Fabina!" Amber cries, and we all turn our attention to her cry.

"What the heck is a Fabina?" I ask, wording everyone's confusion.

"Fabian and Nina's names combined." Amber states as though we're too slow or something. "Duh!"

"You two would be adorable," Willow gushes, and her eyes get this dreamy look. She's the mushy, girly type that lives for romance in our group. So in a way, the delusional one.

"I don't even know the guy," Nina scoffs at our ideas.

"Then get to know him!" Amber shrieks, giddy on that idea.

"I don't have time for a boyfriend," Nina sighs silently, and we all fall somber at the statement that speaks for all of us.

Of course not. In our line of work, no guy should be trusted, and no relationships can be made. It's a curse...but it's also liberating to stay this secure.

"Here you are, ladies," Fabian serves our drinks. "May I ask if you're all ready to order yet?"

"Not quite," Nina answers, and Fabian nods and leaves with another bashful look towards her. Nina sees our grins and she moans. "Not another word on this, please!"

So we don't say anything more on the subject and turn to food. We all decide on grilled chicken with a side of vegetables. While Joy calls Fabian over, KT and I scan the dessert menu.

"Ooh, ice cream cake," KT says, her finger on the picture.

"No, no, no; brownies are much better," I argue, and we start to look over the ice cream sundaes with no more arguments.

"Uh, guys?" Joy waves a hand in front of us. "Can you please not talk about dessert in front of me?"

Joy's on a diet for some reason, but I think she's crazy to do so. It's like she wants to be anorexic or something.

"Joy, forget the bloody diet tonight," I say, and I slide the menu her way. "It's our first night out in months; can you please enjoy it?" Joy eyes the menu for a few seconds before taking it wordlessly. I high-five KT.

"There are lots of cute waiters here," Amber mentions slyly.

"Yeah," Willow agrees. "I wonder if they'd talk to us."

I stare at the two girls, and for once I don't see obnoxious Justin Bieber lovers. I see two girls worried about their image, letting their guard down and becoming weak. I feel my palms begin to sweat and my heart begin to race.

I can't become like them.

"I need to use the bathroom," I blurt and I stand up, ignoring the pain from the sudden jolt to my shoulder.

"We don't need to know," Joy makes a face.

"Want me to come with you?" Mara asks at the same time Joy speaks. Her eyes scan mine, and she bites her lip again. She's worried about me, but I can't get her help. I can't become weak.

"No thanks, I got it," I wave her offer away and I leave. I go into the bathroom and I stare at myself in the mirror for a while. Jade eyes. Auburn hair. Pale skin. I look like myself, but then again, I don't.

* * *

_A click on the bathroom door is enough to startle me. I should be alone...why aren't I alone?_

_"Hello," a deep voice whispers, and I turn to meet a man's eyes._

_"Who are you?" Is all I can muster to ask. His eyes, blue and cold, frighten me. I'm not easy to frighten._

_"I'm a friend of your father's," the man says. "You must be his daughter, Patricia. And where is your sister, Piper?"_

_"Piper's in a music school. She doesn't live here." I reply, but I keep my gaze fixated on this man. I have never seen him before. Why is he here when my dad isn't?_

_"I see," this man moves forward. He doesn't even try to talk me into anything. He just places a hand on my waist and the other on my shoulder. "So, Patricia...tell me, are you a virgin?"_

_My foot connects with his crotch before he can ask me anything else. He staggers backwards and I run out of the room. I'm scared, deathly scared, though I try to stay strong. He has locked the door to the house and it takes me a while to unlock it, for my fingers are shaking so hard._

_His hands grip my shoulders and jerk me away._

_Let me go!" I scream as loudly as I can, but he flings me to the floor, making my body scream in pain at the unexpected thud. His eyes are even colder, and his face displays anger._

_"You're going to pay for that." His voice is as cold as his eyes, and it kills any chance I had for staying strong. He jerks me up by my arm, and I grit my teeth to avoid crying at this pain._

_I know I'll be in pain much worse after this._

_He leaves the house after he has finished with me._

_I lay on the cold tile floor before an unlocked door. I'm naked and shivering, but I don't make any move to leave. I am too hurt to move. My arms and legs are in awkward positions, and I slowly let myself turn over on a side. Finally I stand up, but my legs give away and I fall again._

_I start to cry._

_Hot tears are running down my cheeks. I sob openly and the tears fall into my mouth, the salty taste lingering on my tongue. I slowly let myself crawl away from the door, hating the way it taunts me. It let that awful man in. I shakily stand up and hang on to the door. I feel so vulnerable and alone._

_I gather my strength and enter the bathroom again. I stare back into the mirror. I still see myself, but this time, I'm crying. My eyes are red and my skin blotchy. I see myself so weak, and I want to scream. I pick up a hairbrush and throw it. It cracks the mirror, leaving my image jagged._

_I throw it again, a few more times._

_Shards fall, and I pick one up. I let it linger over my skin, and then I puncture the surface. It hurts, but I grit my teeth again and let it go. At least this way I can prove that I am resistant to pain._

_At least this way, I'm not weak._

* * *

For a second I consider breaking the mirror in this bathroom too, but I know I shouldn't. It's vandalism after all, and the last thing I need is attention from the police.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" A male American voice demands, and I turn around, letting my eyes fall on a slightly built, dirty-blond haired boy with green eyes and an attractive face.

"What are _you_ doing here?" I demand back, for after all, this is a bathroom.

"This is the men's room." The young man says slowly.

I turn around and look, ready to blush in embarrassment, but I realize that he's the one wrong, not me.

"No, it's the girl's room." I find myself holding back a laugh. "Can't you read the sign?" The guy blinks and stares a little longer, and then he blushes.

"Sorry, I thought..." He trails off. "This is embarrassing."

I chuckle a little to myself. "Stupid Americans."

"You know, being American doesn't have to mean anything," The boy says, looking somewhat annoyed. "I'm not stupid, I just didn't read the signs...wait, why am I explaining this to you?"

"Beats me, I'm not listening," I shrug. "You Americans always talk on and on."

Nina is American. Trust me, she may be firm, but she's a bit ditzy.

"Like you Brits are any better." The boy scoffs.

"I didn't ask you what you thought, did I?" I muse as I continue to look at the mirror in an effort to make the guy leave.

"Do you have a name along with that hostility?" The boy asks suddenly. "Or are you just a female reincarnation of Hilter?"

"Do you have a name along with your stupidity?" I snap. "Or are you still so stupid as to ask a random stranger who just insulted you for their name?"

"I'm being civil," The boy fires back, but he smirks. "My name's Eddie by the way."

"Eddie Krueger," I grumble. He laughs.

"I think you mean Freddie." Eddie states as he crosses his arms.

"What?" I ask.

"Freddie Krueger?" Eddie grins widely.

"Whatever," I grumble. "You're still a nightmare."

"Wow," Eddie sighs, "people are rude lately. Unless, of course, that's just you..."

"People are really stupid lately," I remark back. "They can't seem to understand that the little pink sign stands for girls and not guys...why aren't you leaving yet, anyway?" His staying there worries me. It's like the thing with Rufus...

He pauses as if to think that over himself.

"I was going to, but then you made that remark on Americans and I decided to argue for my people's sake," Eddie shrugs like that makes sense.

"Then go," I say, and my voice becomes hard and cold. One hand moves my pocket where I keep pepper spray.

"Geez," Eddie grumbles as he turns to leave. "You don't have to be like that about it." He looks hurt, but I offer no condolence. After all, I can trust no one. And being nice might make him think the wrong things.

When he leaves I keep picturing his face in my mind. That smirk. Those eyes. That accent. It all seems strangely familiar, but I can't place it.

I leave the bathroom and go back to the table. The food's there and everyone else is eating. Mara's eyes fall on me and I know she wants to question me badly, but she just smiles at me and keep eating like nothing is wrong.

Mara Jaffray has always been a bad liar.

"I'm fine, you know," I say. "You don't have to pity me." I hate that feeling. The way people gaze at you with sympathy disgusts me. The way they try to make you feel better makes me want to hurt them. I can't handle pity at all.

"You did take a while," Joy notes. "What held you up?"

"Some idiot guy went into the girl's bathroom." I say but make no justification as to why that held me up.

"He wasn't...one of them?" Nina asks, interested now.

"No. I think if he was, he'd have messed up somehow," I chuckle. "He looks like one of those bumbling idiot guys. Though I admit, his face looks oddly familiar..."

"His face looks familiar?" Nina echoes. "Patricia, you may be on to something."

"Point him out to us," KT suggests, and they all nod along in agreement.

Finally I agree to do so. I turn around and see him talking to our waiter, Fabian.

"There," I gesture subtly towards him.

Every pair of eyes fall on him.

"Ooh, he's cute," Amber giggles like the blond I can never forget she is.

"That's Edison Sweet." Joy's voice is cold as she spits the words.

"Who?" I ask, confused as to why her voice is so cold.

"The son of Eric Sweet," Joy looks down at her food, her face turning ashen.

So Eddie was the son of Eric Sweet, the man who kidnapped Joy. I felt my hate churning at the thought. Maybe Eddie didn't have anything to do with it. Maybe Eddie didn't even know about it.

That's when I remembered his eyes, his accent. After I had killed his father he had walked in, saw him dead, saw me with the gun, and started to yell at me. He called the police, but Joy and I escaped before they could arrive. I just didn't get how he could love a man like that. How he could mourn a man like that.

That day, I'd never seen a gaze so broken.

But I can't deny that knowing he was the son of a rapist made me hate him.

**Thanks for reading, everyone! But a huge thanks to toe who took the time to review last chapter:**

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	3. (Joy) I will cut you down

**I don't own House of Anubis. Hey guys, sorry about not replying to reviews last chapter. I'll do that at the end, but I did read them all and I thank you all so much. Also, forgive my poor action scenes and boring, dialogue- filled things.**

* * *

_I chose to stay silent._

_I am lying on a cold basement floor that binds me to its tile. Eric has finished with me, and I lay still as he leaves. I hear the click that indicates I am locked down here, and I cry. Whenever Eric tortures me, I always stay silent. If I cry or scream, I know he will hurt me._

_He strikes me whenever I do not please him, and afterwards, he cries like he is not a monster and deserves to be pitied, apologizing for hours. I know better than to believe his act._

_I hear the lock click again, and Eric enters again. I wipe hastily at my tears, but he does not seem to care._

_"Here," Eric smiles, passing me my clothing and a towel. "Follow me."_

_I obey him, and he leads me to a shower. I feel dread fill my stomach. He orders me to shower and change. He also leaves a hairbrush in the bathroom before he leaves. I slowly enter the shower and start it up. I have not showered in weeks, maybe even months, and I enjoy the feel of hot water going down my cold, bruised body._

_Once I am done, I dress and brush my hair. I am worried about what Eric could want with me like this. After a while he comes and knocks, asking if I am done. I did not lock the door, but I respond that I'm done and brushing my hair. He enters the room and says that I look very pretty. I feel like hitting him and running for it, but he blocks the doorway._

_"What is this for?" I ask, dreading the answer._

_"My son is coming over," Eric replies. "I'd like you to meet him."_

_His son does come an hour later. Eric has left me alone for that time and let me read a book while he sat across from me with a book of his own. He is a teacher, so the books make sense. I almost forgot he is a teacher._

_After all, he is a monster to me._

_"Hi, Dad," his son greets as he enters. "Um, who is this?" He stares at me somewhat blankly, like I would expect him to._

_"Edison!" Eric hugs the boy and ignores his question._

_"Eddie," the boy says stubbornly, but he hugs back._

_"Right. Um, this is your cousin, Joy," Eric smiles. "She's staying with me while her parents are out on a business trip."_

_"I never knew I had a cousin," Eddie says._

_"Her mother is my cousin," Eric says quickly. It takes all my willpower not to laugh. I am no niece of his, after all._

_"Hi," I offer a pained smile. Eddie nods at me with a smile of his own, but his is real._

_"Hey, do you mind if I eat something?" Eddie asks his dad._

_"Not at all, son," Eric smiles as though he's actually nice. I feel sick seeing this display. Eddie seems oblivious as to what Eric is doing to me, and I hate it. I hate him more specifically._

_Eddie left soon afterwards, leaving me alone with the monster I knew was his father._

_I scream as freely as I want today._

_The door falls and before I know it, Eric falls to the floor. A masked figure holds a gun to his head. I stare blankly, somewhat scared, but happy. Eric gets what he deserves this way. The gunshot echoes, and it's hard to process._

_"You okay?" the masked figure asks._

_"Thank you," I whisper, and the figure nods._

_"Come with me," the figure says. The voice is female. "Wait outside."_

_"But..." I hesitate._

_"Go," she says, and I run out of the room. I duck behind a tree and watch as Eddie runs by, clearly having heard the gunshot. For a split second, I feel pity. Eddie does not know who his father is, and I feel somewhat bad for him. I hear screams from the house, and I close my eyes._

_A second later, a hand grips my shoulder. I open my eyes and see the masked figure. She pulls off her ski mask, and I see a young girl with green eyes and a pretty, pale face. She doesn't smile, but she seems oddly nice._

_"Who are you?" I ask curiously._

_"Patricia," she replies. "You?"_

_"Joy," I say. "How did you find me?"_

_"Your scream's pretty loud," Patricia says nonchalantly. "Don't worry, alright? He's gone, and he won't hurt you anymore."_

_"Thank you," I repeat, and gratitude fills me. I don't know where I will go now. I ache for home, but at the same time, I don't wish to see my parents. I blame them for everything that has happened, but that is another story._

_"I'm part of a group that gets rid of these kind of people," Patricia says suddenly, and her green eyes grip mine like magnets. "How would you like to join it?"_

_I think about it. Save girls like myself from fates like mine? It seems wonderful._

_"Yes," I feel myself smile a little. "That would be perfect."_

_I can be silent no more._

* * *

"Joy, is that you?" Eddie cries as he turns and sees me. "Small world, huh? I didn't know you..." he trailed off when he saw Patricia. "Oh. You."

"You." Patricia retorts bitterly.

"Anyway, Joy," Eddie goes on as he ignores my best friend, "I haven't seen you since you were at my Dad's. What happened to you?" I bristle at that.

Eddie didn't know what had happened since, when he found his dad, I was nowhere to be found.

"I ran away," I lie. "I was scared."

"I didn't see you at the funeral," Eddie goes on.

"I went back with my parents," I say quickly. "I didn't realize there was one."

"Are you going to introduce us or what?" Amber butts in. She smiles charmingly at Eddie. "Hi, I'm Amber. How do you know Joy?" She is curious as to how Eddie knows me. (Clearly she assumes Eddie is an accomplice to Eric and should be dead.)

"Hi, I'm Eddie," Eddie says, and he smiles as well. "Joy's my cousin."

My friends turn to stare at me. They seem shocked, because they know I have never mentioned anything of the sort. I never have, either.

"Yeah," I mumble, playing along. "Guys, why don't you introduce yourselves?"

"I'm Nina," Nina says politely.

"Hi, I'm Willow," Willow beams, and she shakes Eddie's hand even though he doesn't offer it.

"I'm KT." KT smiles brightly.

"I'm Mara," Mara says.

Silence falls, and every pair of eyes fall on Patricia. She sighs deeply.

"I'm Patricia," Patricia spits begrudgingly.

"So you can be polite, can you?" Eddie teases her. Patricia retorts by sticking her tongue out at him.

"So, how do you know the cute- I mean, how do you know Fabian?" I ask nonchalantly, but Patricia groans.

"Oh, we're old pals," Eddie replies. "Listen, I'd better go back to my table, but it was nice meeting you all. We should meet up sometime, Joy. Y'know, to become more acquainted."

"Sounds great," I smile, but jumping in a volcano sounds even greater.

"Awesome. See you." Eddie walks away, and every eye trains on me again, even though they try to seem like they aren't curious.

"Eric told me I was his cousin," I say quietly. "I'm really not."

"Good! So I don't need your approval to date him, right?" Amber asks eagerly. Patricia chucks a piece of chicken at her head. "Ew! Patricia!"

"Does Eddie know what Eric did to you?" Nina asks sharply.

"No," I reply, and I pick at my food, suddenly full.

"You need to tell him, Joy," Mara says gently. "He deserves to know."

"I know," I agree, but I offer nothing more. KT places a hand gently on my shoulder. I give her a small smile in return, glad that they don't press any farther.

"So, where to next?" Willow asks quickly. "Shopping? Movie? Ice cream? All three?" I can't stop a smile that graces my lips.

"I'm on a diet," I remind her.

"If I wasn't hurt, I'd be beating you," Patricia says bluntly, and I smile. Even hurt, she bounces back very quickly.

"So, then, how about we go watch Twilight?" I suggest.

"I hate being hurt," is Patricia's reply.

"I thought the whole point of us going out was to have fun," KT counters.

"Fine," I sigh gustily. Hey, a girl's gotta have some Robert Pattison once in a while, right? It's not like it's that bad anyway...

"Let's go watch a movie, then," Willow suggests.

"Sure," Nina agrees. "You guys ready?" We all nod. We pay for the food and depart. Fabian, I notice, watches Nina go with a blush on his cheeks. I feel a pang of disappointment, but I push the idea away. A guy like that would never go for me.

We enter Amber's car again, and this time she blasts One Direction. We sing as loud as we dare to while Patricia glowers at us all. For once, things are fun, despite her death threats.

Willow and KT argue over which movie is better, Despicable Me 2 or Monster University. Amber complains that they are both children's movies. Nina shuts them out and leans against the window. Mara tries to help Patricia, who is moaning in pain as every jolt the car makes is sending pain up her arm. Suddenly Nina goes alert, and I feel my skin jump.

"What?" I nudge her, but her eyes remain fixed on the movie theatre we have just pulled up at. Police cars are everywhere, and we all fall silent at their sirens. The place is full of people, and even in the car, their screams and chants are audible.

We share looks. This isn't good.

You'd think that killing bad people is something good, right? Well, the police doesn't think so, and we're all kind of wanted. Amber always fluffs her hair when she declares that, but I know that these kind of things don't give us any security.

KT is a runaway. I've been on newspapers everywhere since I was kidnapped. Mara, Amber and Nina are thought dead. Patricia is another runaway, though not looked for. Willow has detectives looking for her. We're not exactly sheltered.

Luckily, we've all been unrecognizable since we joined the Sisterhood.

KT keeps her hair short, and she dyed it darker.

Mara wears green contacts for her eyes and has pink streaks in her dark hair.

Nina's hair is lighter and she wears heavy makeup.

Amber leaves her hair in up-dos and opts for sunglasses.

Willow wears drab clothing and keeps a hat on her head at all times.

Patricia's once-straight and dyed red hair is now always curled and dark.

I, myself, keep to wearing baggy clothing and blue contacts.

We study the scene some more and realize it's packed because some famous guy is standing there, taking photographs with fans and possibly promoting some movie. I recognize him instantly.

Mick Campbell, an actor and sports star. I see him on various magazines and TV shows. He's handsome. He's talented. He's all that and more. Mara won't admit it, but I know he's her celebrity crush.

"That's Mick Campbell!" Amber squeals. "We have to go get his autograph!"

So that was what all the police cars came for: to fend off crazy fangirls.

"It's too risky, Amber," Nina interrupts her.

"She's right," Mara agrees halfheartedly. "There are too many policemen."

"We've never been revealed." Amber states. "We always wear black face masks and have never been caught on camera. I think we're good. Please, guys?" She gazes at Willow poutingly because she knows Willow will always take her side on it.

"It won't even take long," Willow agrees. "Please?" She turns and gazes at me because she knows I can't deny her anything. Sure enough, I feel myself cave.

"Well, we can at least go out and see him in person, can't we?" I ask. Nina sighs like she has nothing to lose before she agrees. We park the car and leave, Mara having helped Patricia out. Amber and Willow fight to get to Mick while Mara, KT, Nina, Patricia, and I hover at the back of the crowd. We decide to then go into the movie theater, where Patricia and Mara go into the large line to get snacks.

"KT and I will go look at the movies available," Nina says, and the two of them go, leaving me to go either way. I decide to go outside instead and watch eager fans bombard Mick. After a few minutes I wander around the side of the theater, hardly interested after all.

I hear as someone announces that Mick must leave, and this also prompts disappointed sighs and tears. The crowd disperses, but I don't bother to go back now that it's clear. I like being here; it's quiet and lets me think.

"Mick, calm down with the charm," a voice says, which is dangerously near me. "Some of us want the ladies, too." I hear a laugh that I recognize as Mick's, and I panic. I start to leave, but I crash right into his chest.

"Oh, sorry," Mick says. "You alright?"

"Yep, just fine, that's me," I say, and my face burns. "I mean...hi-?"

"Clearly a fan that followed you," the guy with Mick states. "Well, I'll leave you to take a final picture, but hey, meet me at the car in ten minutes."

"Will do, mate," Mick grins at the guy. The other guy bumps his fist before he leaves.

"Well, sorry," I say quickly, and I turn to leave.

"So, do you want a picture? Autograph?" Mick asks before I can escape.

"Wait, what?" I pause.

"Oh, both?" Mick asks. "Do you have something you want me to sign, or should I sign some part of your body?"

"Perv!" I blurt, and I kick him in the shin.

"Ow!" Mick falls back onto the floor. "What the heck? I didn't mean it like that! I don't even _do_ that."

"Well it sure didn't sound like it," I snap, and suddenly I regret it, because I sound like Patricia. "I'm sorry, I just didn't expect that. Look, I don't even want an autograph or a picture. I was just hanging back here."

"Um, alright then," Mick says sheepishly. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"Don't be," I sigh, and I turn to leave once more.

That's when the first gunshot erupts.

"Freeze!" a masked man says gruffly, and he shoves Mick and I against the wall, a gun in his hand. Mick pales and obeys, but my fury rises. I reach for my belt, but I realize I didn't bring my gun. My move does not remain unnoticed by the man. "I said, freeze!"

Instead I surge forward. I hook my leg around his and jerk him down as I fall forward. The gun falls and I pick it up. I jump to my feet whereas the man struggles to. When he does, I press the gun to his temple.

"Freeze," I say. The man does so. I look towards Mick. "Get the police over here!" Mick quickly runs off and gets the cops. They handcuff the man and leave, all while giving me their thanks.

Mick lingers behind and waits as they go, leaving me alone with him. I size him up, and he stares at me quietly.

"You were pretty amazing," Mick says finally. "Thanks." He says this insecurely, clearly scared of what I could do to him.

"I, uh, have a dad that works on the police force," I lie. "He taught me everything I know, and believe me, that was most of it."

"That's pretty cool," Mick smiles, having bought my story. "I'm so glad you were here, though. I swear, if you weren't..."

"That's okay," I smile back. A real one this time, not like my smile towards Eddie. "Well, it's been an honor, Mick Campbell."

"Wait!" Mick blurts, and his hand falls on my arm. "Uh...I don't even know your name."

"Joy," I say before I can stop myself. My first mistake of that day.

"Joy," Mick repeats. "It suits you." He flashes his white smile that I see on every magazine and I just nod and smile back politely. Too many smiles already.

"Well, see you," I say awkwardly.

"Right. Thanks again," Mick says, and we part ways.

Once alone, I groan and smack my head against the building. I had messed up, big time. I may look different than the Joy Mercer that was kidnapped, but I still had her name. As a member of the Sisterhood, I knew I could never reveal myself or my true name. And I just had to a celebrity of all people.

Little did I know that this was just the tip of the iceberg.

**Review replies:**

**randomdizzy- Thank you so much! I will so do Nina's soon. (Look 'em up. They are amazing.)**

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	4. (Willow) And I will run you through

**So sorry for the wait! I started a new story and I'm joining this contest...yeah, I always start new things. But I hope you guys enjoy this, despite its being shorter than the past chapters. This is in Willow's POV. (I don't own House of Anubis.)**

_Fire fascinates me._

_My mum says my hair is like fire, wavy and the color of a flame. I like to call myself her "little firework." My sister always scoffs and says that makes no sense, but I like it. My mum does too. She doesn't mind when I cook because I'm safe around an open flame. My dad doesn't mind either; he wants to see me grow up and help him grill someday. The boy he never had. I know he'll want that, and I want it too._

_They leave like they usually do, smiling and kissing my hair. I kiss them both back and watch them leave. They are long overdue for a date night. That was the last time I ever saw my parents._

_I amuse myself by watching TV. My sister is not here tonight. She is away because she has a college class every Tuesday and Thursday. Without her here it is much more quiet, and there are no fights for the remote. I feel almost bad. Finally I stop and head upstairs. I hear a thud from my parent's room._

_They have a clock that tumbles down every morning and every afternoon by the way they position it, so I don't even consider an alternative to that idea. I enter the room and see a man dressed in black, his hands full of valuables, mostly my mum's jewelry._

_I run. My legs strain forward and I wish we didn't have stairs. Or that I am so out of shape. I hear heavy footsteps behind me, and something hard strikes me in the head. I fall alongside a heavy textbook, which happens to be one of my sister's._

He threw something at me_, I think. _He's trying to kill me.

_A hand grips my arm tightly. He sneers at my face when I struggle to move away. I call for help, but he jabs me in the throat, stopping the sound. He drags me back upstairs and ties me to my parents' bed with rope he took from something of my dad's, something I don't even glance at._

_I never knew pain like that before. My body throbs in the worst places. My heart thumps like a dead woman's. My eyes have long since been closed tightly. He never says anything. No threats, no blackmail, nothing. He knows he can get away with this._

_I cry because I know he can, too._

* * *

"I don't like this," I murmur as I look over Amber's shoulder.

"So many girls getting raped," Amber agrees, staring down at the rape statistics for this month, "and not enough men paying the price."

"Do guys ever get raped?" I question.

"Of course," Amber says. "We treat their rapists the same."

"No guy ever joins us," I point out.

"No guy ever wants to," Amber looks amused. "Women are more prone to revenge-seeking. Have I taught you nothing?" She flips her hair and I marvel at how girly she can be.

"Well," I go on, "does that mean women can be rapists, too?"

"It's very rare," Amber pauses, "but yes. We've only encountered two after all this time, though. More often it's men who rape other men."

"It's scary," I mutter absent-mindedly.

"Very," Amber nods, but she doesn't say anything more. Instead, she whips out a magazine and takes to reading it. I spot the cover as she opens it up, and I gasp.

"Amber," I prod her arm. "They're talking about Joy."

"Hm?" Amber stares my way.

"Remember when Joy told us about how she saved Mick Campbell?" I ask. "They made an article on his 'mystery hero.'"

"Aw, why couldn't I have been his mystery hero?" Amber sighs longingly.

"They know her name," I say finally. "They have a picture, too."

_That_ catches her attention.

"But that's...that's not good! She's been missing for years and now..." Amber gawks at the cover. Joy's eyes are blue and her clothing baggy, making her look chunkier, but her nose and facial features are the same girl that went missing years ago. "Nina! Call Joy. Tell her to get here right away."

"She's in firearm training, helping the new recruits," Nina shakes her head as she comes over at Amber's call. "You of all people know we can't just take them _out_."

"It's a security breach." Amber snaps, and Nina blanches.

"Joy, can you hear me?" Nina takes her headpiece and speaks into it. Even around here we have to use them. "Yes, come quickly. I'm aware that you're in firearm training, but... Joy, that's an order!"

"Are you allowed to give orders?" I ask, and Nina frowns.

"I don't know, Willow. Should I?" Nina asks right back.

"Well, I don't think you should-" I begin.

"That wasn't a question." Nina's patience is tried, but I shrug because even though I realize that, it doesn't bother me too much. Joy comes soon enough, her lips stuck in a pouting frown.

"What is it, your highness?" Joy mocks, and Nina turns red.

"Um," I cut in, "just remember that violence is never the answer..."

"Willow," Amber nudges me. "Don't ever say that to two murderers."

"I'm not a murderer," Nina says calmly. "Joy, I'm sorry. It's just that...we found something that might interest you." Joy takes the magazine that Amber offers begrudgingly.

"That's me," Joy's eyes are wide. "But how? I didn't even see any photographers."

"Papparazzi," Nina says grimly. "Joy, we always told you to be careful."

"I know."

"And we always told you to never reveal your name."

"I _know_."

"Nina, she didn't mean any harm." I cut in.

"She's endangered us all." Nina turns towards me, her voice gentle but her words fierce.

"Maybe it's time we quit this, anyway," I shrug, and both Amber and Joy give me looks of disbelief.

"Willow, you're welcome to leave whenever you'd like," Nina smiles gently. "We won't judge you. Many others do."

"I don't want to be one of the others," I murmur. "I'm your _friend_. I won't turn my back on my friends."

For a second they fall quiet. It's as if they don't know whether to hurt me or hug me, and I eagerly await whichever.

"Well," Joy clears her throat, "if that's it..."

"Joy, no more missions until this has died down," Nina issues. Joy huffs, but she nods and leaves. You can't really say it's a bad thing not to be on missions, but you feel useless if you don't.

"But we wear masks," Amber points out, and I nod along.

"They can rip it off any time. If she gets caught for something, even worse. It's too big of a risk," Nina sighs. "I need to go see team forty-seven." She turns and goes without any other words.

"She wasn't always like that, you know." Amber mentions as she opens her magazine again.

"Who? Nina?" I murmur as I gaze over her shoulder.

"She was much more silly. More fun," Amber says. "She's not heartless."

"I know she isn't," I say. "And she _is_ still fun."

"Sometimes." Amber mutters. "Hey, isn't Austin Mahone _such_ a rip off of Justin Bieber?"

I gaze at her for a few seconds, wondering. Wondering about Nina. Wondering about myself. Wondering about Amber. Wondering why Amber cares about such stupid things.

"Yeah," I find myself agreeing. "He so is."

* * *

_He leaves me behind after he is finished with me. For a second I wonder why he has left me still tied here, and then I realize that he has left by the loud slam of the door. Still, it's strange, and I wonder of his motives as I try to move out of the way he has tied me._

_Then the fire alarm goes off._

_I go into a panic, and I thrash around helplessly. I scream for help, but of course, no one answers. Then the door is kicked open and a blond girl, coughing and dirty, meets my eye._

_"Come with me," she beckons. She unties me, and I gaze upon the angel that has saved my life. Without any other words, she takes my hand and leads me downstairs, away from the fire._

_Outside I notice the man on the floor. His blood is spilled and I smile at the sight despite myself. I shouldn't encourage death. I don't believe in death. Forgiveness is always the answer..._

_"He's dead," the girl says. "I promise."_

_I had never heard a more reassuring promise before that moment._

_"You saved me," I whisper. "Thank you."_

_"It's what I do," the girl smiles and throws her hair over her shoulder glamorously. "It's what you can do, too."_

_"Me?" I echo._

_"You can join me," the girl offers, "if you want, that is. If you don't, that's okay. See you around and I'll be on my way. Be more careful, okay?"_

_I don't want this girl to leave me. Not now, not ever. So I jump to the only conclusion I can think of._

_"I want to join you." I blurt, and the girl smiles. She has a pretty smile, and her aura is very bright, despite having killed a man._

_"Welcome to the Sisterhood," she says, and we both turn and stare up at my home going up in flames._

* * *

I truly like Amber. She saved me and there isn't anything I'd rather do than stay with her and help for as long as I can. But sometimes she's so scatterbrained that it gets boring.

"Willow," Amber calls my name and I drag myself away from my thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"Just fine," I mumble. "And you?"

"Willow," Amber repeats. "You're lying."

"No I'm not."

"You _are_. I know you, Willow. And I know how you can be sometimes. You're thinking about it again, aren't you?"

"No," I answer. "I don't care about all of that anymore."

Amber knows about my obsession with fire, and she recognizes when I think of it. She doesn't know that I tie my obession of fire to her and that one night.

"You know I hate fire, right?" Amber asks. "What I did for you that night was out of my comfort zone. I know it was way out of yours, too. It's normal to feel conflicted on it, but-"

"I'm not conflicted over anything," I grumble, which I regret immediately. "Can we not talk about this?"

"Fine," Amber sighs. "So, about Austin..."

Ditzy one minute, deep the next. But that's Amber Millington for you.

"Amber, Willow," KT walks up to us. "There's a little trouble."

"And that would be?" I question.

"Someone snooping much too close to headquarters." KT whispers. Amber is about to call Nina's name when KT clamps a hand over her mouth.

"Is this a secret? Oh I love secrets!" I cry, even though that couldn't be less true.

"No," KT says. "I just don't want to annoy Nina, that's all."

"So you're suggesting _we_ go out there?" Amber makes a face.

"Joy and Mara are taking care of it," KT assures us. "I just needed to tell you two. Amber, can you pull up the video camera outside?"

"Duh," Amber says as she does so. On camera a thin, dark-skinned boy is poking at the trapdoor that leads down to our headquarters. It's disguised under pavement, but if you take the time to squat next to it, examine it, and touch it, it'll make you curious. That is what this boy is doing.

"He's cute," I muse. "Do you have a profile on him?"

"Not yet. Pull up a picture, Amber. Send it to my computer and I'll do a search." KT orders. Amber does as she says and we watch the boy as KT leaves, curious.

I wonder to myself about what Joy and Mara can do about this situation.

"They can't do anything when he's so close," Amber says as if she's reading my thoughts.

"Then?" I prompt.

"We have connections." Amber smirks, and I feel dread fill my stomach. She hits a button and a police siren starts outside. The boy doesn't even look up. So she tries a car honk, but still nothing. Finally she hits one where a bucket of water is spilled over a person's head. It gets the boy and he looks up, bewildered.

"Yes!" I cheer. But to my dismay, the boy's face brightens in excitement. He's like he's messing with us on purpose. It's almost comical.

"Here it is," KT comes over and places a profile of the boy before us. "Alfie Lewis. Age nineteen. Student at a community college, working at a burger place to make rent. Lives with former law offender Jerome Clarke."

"So this Alfie guy isn't a criminal," Amber says, and she chews her lip almost wonderingly. "What of his friend? If he's an offender.."

"I have his profile too," KT says. "I thought the same. But he was charged as a juvenile offender. As a minor he stole from a store. Nothing major, he just had to pay a fine and be recorded in the system."

"Lewis and Clarke." I giggle. "That's funny, isn't it?" The others ignore me as they pour over the profiles. I turn back to the camera. Alfie's left the trapdoor's side, trying to find the source of the water. I see Mara and Joy slowly exiting the trapdoor and closing it before he can notice. They are literally right behind him, but he doesn't turn. They walk a little ways farther, away from Alfie. Mara goes over and talks to him. Joy takes a small pill in hand and places it in an open water bottle that's in his hand. They leave and Alfie takes a swig from his bottle.

He walks away without any memory of the strange events he witnessed or the girls he had met.

"They're good," KT nods at the scene. She gathers the papers. "I'm taking my lunch. Anyone else taking theirs too?"

"I will," I say, Alfie Lewis forgotten. "Amber?"

"I suppose," Amber gazes at her nails. "I need a manicure."

"Chinese?" I ask KT as we ignore Amber's remark. KT shrugs. We end up getting Chinese anyway, taking the food to eat back at the office. Joy and Mara come in shortly after, and Joy swipes a fourtune cookie. Mara leaves to get her lunch, as well as Joy's and Patricia's. She brings back Mexican.

We sit and eat together, and Amber even goes to get Nina. We actually enjoy ourselves for the first time in months. We're on a roll with this kind of stuff.

"I like living normal," I say. "Don't you?"

"Willow," Nina starts, "this isn't-"

"Nina," Joy stops her. "Don't."

"Don't what?" I snap. "I know you all hide things from me. Well I want to know things too! Why don't you ever let me do things on my own? Why can't I be trusted? Why are the simplest plans always excluding me?"

"I'm sorry." Nina mumbles, but she says nothing more. Taking her food, she leaves. Amber follows, and I stare down at my food, tears pricking my eyes. I hadn't meant it like that. I like being out of the loop- it protects me.

I can't deny it doesn't hurt though.

"We just think you're better off not knowing any of this stuff," Joy places a hand on my shoulder. "We care for you, Willow. We know you don't like this stuff, so we don't tell you. But if you want to know, we'll tell you everything."

"I have one question above others," I say suddenly. "I want to know about the past and why we can't go out in the world much."

"You know why," Joy licks her lips nervously. "Risk of exposure and all."

"I want you to be honest with me, Joy." I complain, and Joy blinks.

"Fine," she mutters, "I'll tell you."

**So, any theories? Be sure to request characters you want to see more of. I may even follow one of the boys. Originally this chapter was supposed to be Nina, but I found her much harder to write, and I'll get to her story later. Anyway, my reviewers:**

**JustCallMePosh**

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**Thank you all so much, guys. I appreciate every review I get. If you have time, please review, but if you don't, then thanks for reading and maybe you'll drop one later. Even if you don't, that's okay, too. But know that I'm really grateful to have you all reading my story. :)**


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